Bought a used car and still waiting for the V5C? That does not always mean anything shady is going on, but it is one of those paperwork delays that can make a straightforward purchase feel a lot less comfortable. The key is working out which route the keeper change should have gone through, because the normal wait is very different if the seller registered the car to you online compared with sending paperwork by post or leaving you to apply with a V62 form.
The short answer
If the seller registered a used car to you online, GOV.UK says the new V5C should usually arrive within 5 to 7 working days. If you have to apply by post using form V62, the wait is usually around 4 weeks. If you are past those rough windows, it is time to stop guessing and check what was actually sent to DVLA, whether you were given the most recent green new keeper slip, and whether you now need to contact DVLA yourself.
How long should a V5C take after you buy a used car?
The first thing to understand is that there is no single UK wait time. It depends on how the keeper change was done.
| Situation | Usual timescale |
|---|---|
| Seller registered the used car to you online | Around 5 to 7 working days |
| You had to apply by post with form V62 | Around 4 weeks |
| You are still waiting beyond that | Start checking the paperwork trail and chase it |
GOV.UK’s vehicle registration guidance says a new V5C usually arrives within 4 weeks of a vehicle being registered, but for a used vehicle registered to a new keeper online, the new V5C should normally arrive within 5 to 7 working days. GOV.UK also says a V62 postal application usually takes about 4 weeks. That gap matters, because plenty of buyers panic after one week when the seller actually used the slower route, while others wait a month when an online transfer should have landed much sooner.
Before you chase DVLA, check these 5 things
1. Ask how the keeper change was done
A dealer or private seller can tell DVLA online that the vehicle has been sold or transferred. If they did that properly, the V5C should normally be relatively quick. If they posted the paperwork instead, or never completed the change at all, the wait can stretch out.
If the seller simply says, "it has been sent off", ask what that actually means. Online and post are not the same thing.
2. Check whether you were given the green new keeper slip
If you bought the car properly, you would usually expect the seller to hand over the green V5C/2 new keeper slip from the most recent logbook. That slip matters because it helps you tax the car straight away and is the key bit of paper if you end up needing to apply with a V62.
GOV.UK says that if you did not get a V5C for your new vehicle, you can send form V62 to DVLA with the green new keeper slip given to you by the seller. It also says the slip needs to be from the most recent V5C.
3. Make sure the slip matches the latest V5C issue date
This is an easy one to miss. GOV.UK says that if you are not sure whether the green slip came from the most recent V5C, you should check that its date matches the last V5C issue date shown on the vehicle enquiry service. If the dates do not line up, the paperwork chain may already be broken.
4. Separate the V5C problem from the tax problem
A missing logbook is stressful, but it does not always stop you using the car. What matters for road use is whether the vehicle is taxed, insured and has a valid MOT if it needs one. GOV.UK’s buying-a-vehicle steps make clear that you must tax the vehicle before you can use it on the road.
If you managed to tax it with the green slip, the missing V5C is mainly an admin issue that still needs sorting. If you could not tax it because the paperwork was wrong, the problem is more urgent. If that is your situation, our guide to taxing a car without a V5C covers the routes that can still work.
5. Look for clues that the seller never completed the transfer
If the seller goes vague, stops replying, or cannot explain whether the change was done online or by post, that is when the concern level should rise. On its own, a delayed V5C is not proof of a bad deal. Combined with missing service history, no proper receipt, a wrong address on paperwork or excuses about the green slip, it can point to a seller who was sloppy at best and dishonest at worst.
What to do in each common situation
Bought from a dealer and nothing has arrived after a week
This is the classic case where a quick phone call is worth it. Ask the dealer whether they registered the car to you online on collection day or posted paperwork later. If they used the online route, 5 to 7 working days is the normal benchmark. If they posted documents, give it longer but pin them down on the date.
Bought privately and you have the green slip
If the seller did not complete the transfer properly and the V5C still has not appeared, you may need to send a V62 to DVLA with the green slip. GOV.UK says that route usually takes about 4 weeks. If you do not send the new keeper slip from the most recent V5C, you will usually have to pay the £25 fee.
Bought privately and you did not get the green slip
That is where the situation gets more awkward. You can still apply for a logbook, but the lack of the right slip is a warning sign in itself. It is also one reason buyers are better off slowing down before payment and paperwork handover. Our recent guide on a private used car sale covers the checks that help stop this sort of mess happening in the first place.
You are past 4 weeks and still have nothing
At that point, stop relying on what the seller said over text and contact DVLA. GOV.UK says to contact DVLA if your V5C has not arrived and it has been 4 weeks since you sent in form V62. On related V5C pages, GOV.UK also warns that if you have not received the logbook after 6 weeks and you have not notified DVLA, you may have to pay £25 for a replacement.
Do you need a V62, and will it cost £25?
A lot of buyers assume a V62 is only for completely missing paperwork. It is broader than that. The V62 is the form used to apply for a vehicle registration certificate if the expected V5C never turns up, if you did not get one with the vehicle, or if the keeper change was not processed as it should have been.
Whether it costs you depends on the circumstances. If you are sending the correct green new keeper slip from the most recent V5C, the fee position can be different from applying without it. GOV.UK says that if you do not send in the new keeper slip from the most recent V5C, you will have to pay £25.
When a delay is annoying, and when it is a red flag
A short delay is normal enough. Post is post, dealers batch paperwork, and some sellers still use the slower route. These are the signs that should make you more suspicious:
- you were never given the green new keeper slip
- the seller cannot tell you whether the transfer was done online or by post
- the date on the green slip does not match the last V5C issue date
- the seller is hard to reach once you mention the V5C
- other parts of the deal already felt off, such as rushed payment pressure or patchy history
If two or three of those stack up together, treat the missing V5C as part of a wider due-diligence problem, not just a slow letter.
Bottom line
If your V5C has not arrived after buying a used car, do not jump straight to worst-case thinking, but do get precise quickly. An online keeper change should usually mean a new logbook within 5 to 7 working days. A V62 postal route is more like 4 weeks. The green new keeper slip, the last V5C issue date and the seller’s explanation are the three things that usually tell you whether you are dealing with a routine delay or a purchase that needs a much harder look.
